Bunnies are about to hop into my life

[gryeyes]

An associate at work (not a co-worker but a vendor assigned to work with my unit) has offered to give me a buck, a doe, and three baby bunnies after the babies are older. He will have the buck neutered and all I have to do is reimburse him for that cost, then I'll get the bunny family. (His family is keeping two babies.)

They're lion head rabbits.

He is thrilled, because he knows they will go to a good home. He has put up with all my chicken stories for a year or so, and he LOVES the fresh eggs from my flock.

I was 8 years old the last time I had a rabbit. Thumper was a California giant, I think, but that was 50 years ago. My parents gave Thumper to a family without a dog; we had a dachshund/beagle mix and he was so good with Thumper but you know it was tough for an old hound like that not to chase the rabbit. He'd go outdo, cross the highway to open fields and chase jackrabbits, then come home with all that pent up desire burnt out for the day.

So... I am about to embark on an adventure with some rabbits. And I have two purebred dachshunds. They've learned to be good around the poultry, but I know I'll have my work cut out for me in integrating rabbits into the family. Their safety is paramount.

 

[Fleabuskitty]

Are you planning on keeping them all together? Does can be quite territorial and it might be best to get her spayed also or instead of the buck...
Anyway, that's awesome! I'm planning on getting a Himalayan in the spring to show

I had pet rabbits when I was little. Two of them were nice, but one was mean and growled at us! Even after we got her spayed! She ended up escaping from her pen and becoming a free-range rabbit

Congratulations and good luck!

 

[wolftracks]

Congrats Linda. I have Lionheads and love them. I just got 2 Holland Lops and been holding them all night. hehe Told someone that holding them close to my face and neck reminds me of all my old rabbit fur coats. LOL Are they going to be house rabbits? Oh and one of my does, gashed one of the others and pulled out all her back fur and mane a while back. They can get a little nasty at times. Was kind of weird though cause they were my oldest rabbits and have been raised together before I got them.

Oh and pics are a must!

 

[bufforp89]

I have 11 lionheads and love them. They are the sweetest rabbits IMHO..

 

[gryeyes]

Do they have to be house rabbits? Or can I give them a hutch outside?

 

[m.kitchengirl]

With so many I don't think they would get lonely outside.
My English Angora is a part-time indoor/outdoor guy.
When I am home he is a house bunny, at night and during work hours he has his hutch outside.
He seems to like it this way. He is very comfortable inside, and uses a litter box, but when we're not here to love on him he has the ducks and chickens to keep him company. Plus, the birds singing, and the wind blowing through his hair.

He is, possibly, my favorite pet of all time. Sort of like a cat in some ways, and a dog in others. I guess he's mostly like a rabbit.
Good luck, and YES, PICTURES PLEASE!

 

[wolftracks]

Quote:
I have too many to make them into house rabbits. I don't know how cold it gets where you live, but it's been in the 30's here at night. I have 5 hole cages and they are on my open, but covered back porch. They are very small, so if you want to make them indoor pets you can. I have my new Hollands indoors, but they're babies and I don't have anything se up for them yet, but they were ourdoors before last night. I just need to get some pens done that have dividers that are at least closed in every few becasue I don't want them all chilled from the cold winds. I need to figure out something some, cause I want these babies to not be used to being inside. This house is timey, so barely enough for us to live in it. LOL I wish I could afford to build big hutches for them, I just can't. I'm setting something up right now though, because I have to at least get my soon to be momma Lionhead someplace that her and babies will be safer from the elements.

 

[ChickenfootDuckbutt]

Rabbits actually do better in the cold(I've lost atleast 2 rabbits to the heat, and none in the dead of winter), and if kept outside can molt appropriately according to the seasons and weather changes.

 

[gritsar]

Sounds like an exciting adventure Linda. Enjoy them!

 

[wolftracks]

Quote:
I know, I just got babies. Maybe it's the fact that they're new and I want to hold them? LOL Heat is the worse. I don't know how mine made it. I had a buck that had heat stroke and really thought I'd lose him, but he's out there now and fine. It was scary for a few hours though. I need to move mine and I don't have any place out there that makes a wind breaker.

If you have trees, you could put a hutch there. Shade in summer andf something to break the wind in winter.

Wind is really picking up here now. I hate to think how hard it will be blowing when the kids are out of school.